SYDNEY (CSN) -- The Canadian Paralympic swim team re-enforced itself as a world
power for the foreseeable future as it completed the Games Saturday with 10
more medals to finish the competition with an incredible 48 podium
appearances.

Canada earned 23 gold, 15 silver and 10 bronze to edge Spain by one in the
gold medal count. The Canadians set 20 world records and 23 Paralympic
marks. The average age of the team is only 18.5 years-old, the youngest in
the world.

Jessica Sloan of Calgary emerged as the individual swimming star with six
gold medals all in world record time. On Saturday she took the 50
freestyle and helped Canada to victory in the 4X100 medley relay with
Elisabeth Walker of Toronto, Stephanie Dixon of Caledon, Ont., and Darda
Geiger of Sarnia, Ont.

"We set some lofty objectives for this team and they came through in flying
colours," said an ecstatic Canadian national team head coach Andrew Craven
of London, Ont. "Integrating the disabled swimmers in the mainstream
program has been a key factor in our success. We have a lot of support and
we are fully part of high performance swimming program in Canada. It looks
as though we'll have success for a long time to come."

Other Canadian winners in 50 freestyle races Saturday were Danielle Campo
of Windsor, Ont., and Benoit Huot of St-Hubert, Que., who set a world
record. The men's 4X100 medley relay with Huot, Adam Purdy of London, Ont.,
Andrew Haley of Dartmouth, N.S., and Philippe Gagnon of Ste-Foy, Que., were
also winners in world record time.

Bronze medallists in 50 freestyles were Anne Polinario of Toronto and
Chelsea Gottel of Antigonish, N.S.

"We bonded really well as a team," said Purdy, who broke the world record
in his 100 backstroke leg in the medley relay. "We were together for a
month and everybody just came together. It's been a great experience for
everyone. Coming into the meet we knew we were the best swimming nation and
our performances showed that."